World-Class Experience

I’ve led, learned, and delivered at the intersection of design, emerging technology, and human need, impacting millions at industry-leading companies.

Deep Expertise

Human-centered design drives results. I bring the tools to scale its impact across teams and organizations.

Leadership

Product Vision
Experience Strategy
Design Direction
Workshop Facilitation
Building functions 0-to-1 

Tools

Human-Centered Design
Emerging: AI (LLMs, Agents)
UX Optimization & Experimentation
Design Systems
Information Architecture

People

Culture Building
Org Design & Growth
Coaching
Psychological Safety
Change management

Influential Leadership

AI is changing everything, but people still make it real. Influence and great products come from strong relationships, empathy, and low-ego collaboration – that’s how I lead. But don't just take my word for it...

Lisa L., Head of Research @ Amazon
"Austin is one of the best, most collaborative senior leaders I've had the pleasure to work with—empathetic, mission-driven, and masterful at balancing business strategy with meaningful design impact. Austin has a natural ability to create psychological safety while driving impactful outcomes and this made every project better and every team member feel valued and heard. What truly sets Austin apart is how he brings people together, fostering an environment where innovation thrives and teams feel empowered to do their best work."

Marco O., UX Lead @ Google
"Austin is a great manager, friend, and mentor. He is always willing to share insightful stories and experiences for every question you may have while providing tangible and practical advice. He approaches his work with an infectious sense of optimism and enthusiasm but isn't afraid to ask the hard questions. He leads by example and sets the bar high, all with an extreme amount of grace and professionalism."

Lisa H., UX Research @ Uber 
"There are designers and then there are Designers – as in, the receptive, visionary and take charge kind that all project teams hope get assigned to them. Austin Hastings epitomizes that second bucket: no nonsense, no ego, all passion for creating the ‘right’ user experience. Austin absolutely ‘gets’ user-centered design. His vast knowledge of design trends ensures that whatever project he takes part in will benefit from industry best practices alongside his genuine collegiality that makes him an absolute pleasure to work with."

Kathleen M., Content Designer @ Meta / Instagram
"Austin is an inspiring leader who genuinely cares about the happiness and professional growth of his team. He seamlessly balances big-picture strategy with full attention to each of his many direct reports. As a new manager, I relied on Austin’s mentorship to help me grow and lead my team, and he was always there to provide guidance and feedback. He’s perceptive, kind, and fun to work with."

Jessica V., Senior Director of Brand @ Shutterstock
"Austin is hands-down the most collaborative design lead I've had the pleasure of working with. I worked directly with Austin on the Hotwire Brand Identity and its successful application to Product. The road to marrying Brand and Product at Hotwire would have been a bumpy one if not for his leadership and keen eye for strategic design. Austin's even manner, thoughtful approach to design and understanding of Brand are hallmarks of his that I deeply respect."

Shona R., Sr. Research Manager @ Atlassian
"Austin is the guy you want on those difficult, complicated projects. He is pro-active, always delivers high quality designs and has an unshakable positive attitude. Of course you would want him on any project, he is an all-around great designer."

Jamie L., Tech Lead @ The Walt Disney Company
"I had the pleasure of working with him as we built out the R&D function for the UX team over the course of a few months. As a designer, he has impeccable attention to detail. As a Director he is an awesome mentor and team leader. I hope to work with him again in the future."

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Contact

austinhastings@gmail.com

© 2025 Austin Hastings

Human-Centered Design Leadership